


As Long As He Needs Me

by DesertLily



Series: Fatherhood [3]
Category: Batman (Comics), Batman - All Media Types, Young Justice - All Media Types
Genre: Alcohol Abuse/Alcoholism, Angst, Batfamily, Bruce is trying to be a good dad, Child Abuse, F/F, Hurt/Comfort, angst & hurt/comfort, domestic abuse
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2019-10-29
Updated: 2019-10-29
Packaged: 2021-01-06 03:08:52
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,178
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/21219569
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/DesertLily/pseuds/DesertLily
Summary: Harper Row would do anything to protect her little brother. If that meant letting her father beat her around whenever he wanted, she’d endure it. She could handle it. She was the oldest. It was her job to protect Cullen!But what is she to do when a few eagle-eyed Bats notice something is wrong with her home life?





	As Long As He Needs Me

**Author's Note:**

> Title comes from the song of the same name from the musical ‘Oliver!’

Harper Row was fine. She was capable of handling her home life. Besides, the way her father knocked her around after a few drinks was nothing compared to the brutality of Batman’s rogue gallery. It was barely anything. She could handle it. As long as he never so much as raised a hand at Cullen. Her little brother would always be her number one priority. No matter what! Besides, her father always apologised for everything he did when he was sober. That’s what mattered, right? That he was sincere when he apologised? Even if it did keep happening again and again...

There was only so long she could keep the bruises hidden for and only so many excuses Harper could make. They were going to stop believing they were just unaccounted for bruises eventually. She knew Cass was already getting suspicious and no doubt that Bat himself wasn’t far behind. Great. Just great. They were the last people she wanted involved! If they got involved, it would just complicate things. Harper had no doubt they would make her go to the cops about her dad then she risked being separated from Cullen. It wasn’t worth the risk. Not to her.

With a sigh, Harper began to make her way around their apartment before she went out on patrol. Her father was absolutely blacked out on the sofa with a bottle of Bud Light still clutched fiercely in his hand. She moved to throw a blanket over him. At least she didn’t have to worry about him attacking Cullen whilst she was out. He was down for the count. Speaking of her brother, Harper peaked in to his room and smiled when she noticed him fast asleep. Perfect. Everyone was safe and sound. It didn’t take her long to change in to her Bluebird costume then she was out the window and out on patrol.

It didn’t take her long to reach the rooftop where she usually met whichever Bat she was accompanying that night. It seemed to change nightly. Though, most of the time it was either Steph, Cass, or even Bruce with the others occasionally stopping by. Not that she really minded. Bruce was tolerable to patrol with, Stephanie was fun, and Cassandra ....Harper happened to have a very large crush on Cassandra Cain and had absolutely no shame about it. How could she not?! The other girl was absolutely incredible! Even if she had been straight and not a raging bisexual, Cass would have made her gay. There was no doubt about it.

Though, it wasn’t one of her regulars waiting for her tonight and it definitely wasn’t Cass Cain. No, it was someone she hadn’t even remotely been expecting. “...What are you doing here, Nightwing?” Genuine confusion filled her voice. “Not that it isn’t great to see you but why are you here?”

“Hello to you too, Bluebird.” The smile he offered her at that was positively radiating. Harper had no idea where he got so much positivity and energy from. “Orphan asked me to check in on you. She’s worried. Apparently you have a lot of odd bruising?” There was no accusation in his tone; just concern. It was...odd. Harper wasn’t entirely used to people even alluding to the fact they cared. Why would they want to? She was no one incredible. Not really.

“Then Orphan is mistaken.” Though, she couldn’t deny she liked the fact Cass cared about her. But that didn’t mean she was the biggest fan of the other girl’s observation skills. The last thing Harper needed were the bats getting involved in her personal business. “The only bruises I have are from crimefighting. There’s nothing else going on.”

Nightwing still have her a semi-skeptical look at that. He evidently didn’t quite believe her. It wasn’t often Cassandra was mistaken with her observation skills. “If you say so.” He sighed. “Now c’mon. You’re stuck with me tonight.” With that, he moved to make his way off of the rooftop. Harper quickly moved to follow him, forgetting to ask why he was in Gotham instead of Bludhaven.

* * *

Patrol went fine. Nightwing was surprisingly lighthearted to be around considering his status as Batman’s first sidekick. In all honesty, Harper had been expecting him to be much more serious. It was a nice surprise. Unfortunately, unknown to her, the make up she had been using to hide her bruises had begun to rub off whilst they were patrolling. The worst of them were the handprints wrapped around her neck. Still, Harper did her best to act like she was fine. It was all she could do; pretend to be fine and cope with her home life.

Harper forced herself to smile as she followed Dick in to the Cave. All she had to do was report to the Bat about patrol then she was free to head home. Unfortunately for her, Bruce was even more eagle-eyed than his children. He’d barely even glanced over her before he had moved to inspect her neck. A deep frown formed on his features. “What happened?” Bruce demanded. She knew not answering wasn’t an option.

She seemed to hesitate for a few moments. “I-It’s nothing. I just got in to a dumb fight...” She tried to laugh it off as if it were nothing. From the look on Bruce’s face, it hadn’t worked.

“Harper, if someone is hurting you then you can tell us. You can trust us.” There was a sincerity in his voice that she hadn’t heard before. Cass hadn’t been kidding when she said he had a tendency to go in to full dad-mode. “We’ll protect you.”

Oddly, she found herself believing him. If anyone could protect her and Cullen then it would definitely be the Batfamily. The Batman would keep them safe. Bruce Wayne would keep them safe. Taking a deep breath, she found herself speaking quietly. “...My dad hits me when he’s drunk.” Harper couldn’t look at him as she spoke.

Surprisingly, Bruce’s first response was to pull her in to a tight hug. “I’m sorry.” He murmured. “I should have seen the signs sooner. We all should have.” Harper just stood there frozen for a few moments before slowly returning the hug. She wasn’t used to adults acting as if they sincerely cared about her. It had thrown her off her rhythm. “What about your brother? Does he hurt him?”

“No.” Harper shook her head rapidly. “I let him hit me so he leaves Cullen alone.” There wasn’t a thing she wouldn’t do to keep her little brother safe. He was the most important person in her life. She would do absolutely anything to protect him. “I keep him safe.”

“That’s very brave of you.” Bruce’s voice was gentler than she had ever heard it before. It was sincere. “I’m going to help you both get out of there, Harper. I’m going to get you somewhere safe.” Oddly, she found herself believing him.

For the first time in a long time, Harper Row felt like everything was going to be okay.

**Author's Note:**

> Should I write a part two? Love it? Hate it? Comments are always appreciated or hmu @ desert-lily on tumblr!


End file.
